Clinical features and outcomes of 37 Argentinean patients with severe granulomatosis with polyangiitis (wegener granulomatosis).

BACKGROUND: Most epidemiologic studies involving severe granulomatosis with polyangiitis (SGPA) patients have investigated populations from the northern hemisphere, whereas few studies have been conducted in South America. None of the South American studies have differentiated between localized GPA and SGPA. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to describe a cohort of Argentinean patients who were diagnosed with SGPA and to compare this cohort with previously well-described cohorts. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study that included 37 consecutive SGPA patients who were seen at 2 tertiary centers in Buenos Aires. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (51.3%) were male, and 18 patients (49.7%) were female. The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 48.5 ± 12.01 years. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) was detected in 34 patients (91.89%): 32 patients (86.48%) had a cytoplasmic staining pattern, whereas 2 patients (5.40%) had a perinuclear pattern. Three patients were ANCA-negative. Twenty-four patients (64%) achieved remission, and 7 patients (19%) had response as defined by at least 50% reduction in the disease activity score. Nineteen relapses were observed in 12 patients, and 2 of the relapses were fatal. Overall, there were 14 deaths (37.83%). CONCLUSIONS: The present series demonstrated that Argentinean patients have similar demographics, clinical manifestations, and outcomes as the cohorts from the northern hemisphere. There was less granulomatous organ involvement (ear/nose/throat, lung granulomas) in the present cohort compared with other series.